kamioshi
final major project by anna, koyin, and lotta
about our team
photo
anna khripchenko
koyin ogunbameru
lotta wilkinson
kamioshi is a single player narrative experience about supporting your favourite idol.
themes
inspirations - j-pop idols and idol culture
inspirations - jirai kei and ryousangata subcultures
jirai kei
‘jirai’ meaning ‘landmine’ - a dark, girly style with its name taken from a derogatory term for overly emotional, mentally unstable young woman
originated in kabukicho - tokyo’s red light district - around 2020, and has associations with poor mental health, antisocial behaviour, and night work. despite its controversy it has become a very popular style.
ryousangata
roughly translates to ‘mass-production’ - a name for mainstream trends used to imply all young people wearing the style look the same.
does not refer to a specific style but more so the current trends
in recent use it refers to a girly, feminine style - a lighter counterpart to jirai kei
has links to idol culture as many young women wear this style when attending lives and idol events - these girls referred to as ‘ryousangata otaku’
gameplay
reach your goals to be the most supportive fan
the gameplay of kamioshi is divided into distinct segments, each of these lasting a set number of in-game days. each segment has one or more goals you must aim to complete:
e.g. ‘earn enough money to attend the concert.’
the player must choose how they spend their time in order to meet their goal at the end of the segment.
decide how you spend your time
during play, the player must keep track of and manage two main stats: their money and their ‘dedication’ score - a measure of love for their favourite idol.
these stats are affected by which actions the player chooses, with working as a way to earn money and engaging in fan activities as a way to increase dedication.
as time is limited, it is important for the player to manage their time effectively in order to reach their goals.
however, the most straightforward answer may not always be best. along the way they will be presented with additional options which could offer bonus effects or alter the direction of the story.
a darker tone
being a dedicated fan is not easy. as gameplay progresses and goals get more challenging, the player may be offered some difficult, more intense choices.
taking these choices will affect the tone of the game, with various aspects such as the visuals, ui, music and writing gradually getting darker and more surreal.
this is intended to reflect a growing obsession in the player character and a loss of reality as they engage in unhealthy behaviour.
these darker elements will take inspiration from psychological horror, a drastic contrast to the lighter, cutesy elements of the game.
multiple outcomes for multiple endings
each segment can have multiple outcomes depending on the player’s success in reaching their goals and the actions they took.
e.g. not attending a concert does not end the game, but it does change the relationship you have to your idol as a fan
the outcome of each game segment is tracked and at the end of the game the most appropriate ending is awarded based on how the player did.
the narrative of each of these endings reflects how the player behaves as a fan, from a casual listener to a devoted follower.
visual design
sound design
next steps